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Philippe's Monthly Column
Who is Chef Philippe
Haddad?
Born in 1961 in Ghent Belgium, Philippe Haddad
began his culinary journey at an early age. By the time
he was 12, he had more than a passing interest in the
culinary arts. At age 14, he was enrolled in a preliminary
cooking school – this was a prelude to  being
accepted to Ter Duinen, the most renowned hotel school
in Belgium. Graduating after a four-year intense course,
Chef Philippe went on to train with master chef Eddie
Van Maele. His mentor was and still is Chef Jean-Pierre
Malysse, of La Marquette restaurant in Brussels.
Chef Philippe went on to cook at the two-star restaurant
L’Aquilon and the one-start restaurant La Commanderie
before making his way to France and then to England. During
his travels, Chef Philippe worked in several Michelin
Star restaurants learning food trends from some of Europe’s
finest chefs. While in England, Chef Philippe worked in
the kitchens with cookbook author and TV personality Robert
Carrier at Hitlesman Hall. Here he learned the importance
of growing and using fresh herbs.
In 1983, Chef Philippe moved to the United States, working
first for the Club Corporation of America, then serving
as Executive Chef to Atlanta’s celebrated French-Russian
restaurant, Nikolai’s Roof. He ran the stoves at
the Tony L’Escoffier restaurant in the Beverly Hills
Hilton and opened the four-star, four-diamond restaurant
Occidental Grand Hotel in Atlanta. In 1994, he headed
for the tropics, spending three years at the St. James
Club Resort in Antique. In 1997, he returned to Atlanta
to take over the Executive Chef post at The Abbey where
he has taken classic cuisine to new heights.
In addition to the Abbey, in February 2000, Chef Philippe
opened Philippe’s Bistro, Atlanta’s first
Belgium Bistro. This casually elegant restaurant is nestled
in one of Atlanta’s trendiest Buckhead neighborhoods.
Philippe’s has allowed award winning Chef Philippe,
with the help of his Chef de Cuisine Matt Swickerath,
the opportunity to return to his roots and introduce Atlanta
to the traditional cuisine of his native country.
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